1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to engines utilizing rotary combustion architecture and, more particularly, to a rotary engine having a rotor and chamber arrangement with an effective constant diameter chamber and variable valve timing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various designs have been proposed for utilizing a chamber and a rotor as compressors, engines, and measurement devices. For example, McMillan, U.S. Pat. No. 1,686,569, describes a rotary compressor; Moreover, Feyens, U.S. Pat. No. 1,802,887 is directed to a rotary compressor; and Luck, U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,875, also describes a rotary piston compressor.
Dieter, U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,791, pertains to a rotary engine having a radially shiftable rotor. The rotary engine includes a hollow housing having an irregular but generally cylindrical cavity therein and a shaft journalled through the cavity in off-center relation thereto. The curved walls of the housing define and extend about the cavity, gradually increasing and decreasing in radial distance from the axis of rotation of the shaft, however, the spacing between all working curved wall portions of the cavity lying at opposite ends of all diameters of the aforementioned axis is constant. An elliptical rotor is mounted on the shaft within the cavity for rotation with the shaft and for shifting radially off the axis of rotation of the shaft along a line extending between the vertices of the rotor while fuel mixture and exhaust by-products inlet and outlet and fuel mixture ignition are spaced about the outer periphery of the cavity. Also, the rotor and shaft define a rotary assembly having axially extending air passages therethrough opening through opposite ends of the housing with an air vane structure carried by one end of the rotary assembly operative to pump cooling air through the air passages in response to rotation of the assembly.
Furthermore, van Michaels, U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,206, describes multi-fuel rotary power plants using gas pistons, elliptic compressors, internally cooled thermodynamic cycles, and slurry type colloidal fuel from coal and charcoal. These rotary power plants are designed for universal application, such as engines for large industrial compressors, cars, electrical power plants, marine and jet propulsion engines.
Lew, U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,270, is directed to a sliding rotor pump-motor-meter for generating and measuring fluid flow and generating power from fluid flow. The design includes two combinations of a cylindrical cavity and a divider member rotatably disposed in the cylindrical cavity about an axis of rotation parallel and eccentric to the geometrical central axis of the cylindrical cavity. The divider member extends across the cylindrical cavity on a plane including the axis of rotation in all instances of rotating movement thereof, and a rotary motion coupler for coupling rotating motions of the two divider members in such a way that a phase angle difference of ninety degrees in the rotating motion is maintained between the two divider members. Fluid moving through the two cylindrical cavities and crossing each plane, including the geometrical central axis and the axis of rotation in each of the two cylindrical cavities, relates to rotating motion of the two divider members.
Despite the various designs for engines that utilize a rotor instead of a piston, challenges continue to exist with such designs. For example, rotary engines are typically less efficient than piston engines and involve reciprocating motion, complicating the manufacturing and maintenance of such engines. Existing designs also tend to vibrate as a result of the centrifugal forces created by the rotation of the rotor. Furthermore, related designs generally do not provide for selective control over air and fuel intake of rotary engines because a continuously rotating rotor defines the air and fuel intake amounts.
There is a need for a rotary engine that is fuel efficient, produces more power, is easier to manufacture, provides more control over the air and fuel intake, and exhibits less vibration than existing engines.